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Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1985. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-59).

The study explores the potential use of daylight in the office environment in a hot-humid climate of Malaysia, thus, to reduce the dependency on electric lighting and to create the potential for a more pleasing daylit environment. The thesis has investigated glare, seating orientations, window design, preference of lighting, lighting and visual comfort regulation, visual comfort and visual performance and computer simulation on glare in Malaysian offices. It has developed tools for assessing the visual environment in offices (in the field), focusing on the Malaysian conditions of daylight in office design. Specifically, it has investigated the current window and lighting application in office buildings through office workers' assessment using a questionnaire survey. It has assessed the current window and lighting application in office buildings based on field measurements. It has assessed visual and lighting condition and visual task performance using a Landolt Ring chart under a daylit office environment. Finally, it has analysed glare of a daylit office using computer simulation, Radiance. The major findings of the thesis show that a daylit office can be successfully used to provide an acceptable visual environment and reduce electric lighting within. However, there are some qualifications to this conclusion. Firstly, it has been found that daylight should be controlled either using timed glazing or shading devices. Secondly, the acceptable of a daylit environment depends on a certain extent on seating positions relative to windows. Interestingly, the best rated seating position reported by subjects is the least productive for visual task performance. Finally, it appears that glare calculation used in the advanced computer program is not suitable to calculate glare for Malaysian daylight condition. The western guidelines for visual comfort can be applied as general guidelines, with caution that Malaysian daylit conditions are expected to include a wider range of daylight levels

Arrangements are also considered for providing other ways of deploying in situ natural turfgrass in multi-use stadia. These methods are not dependent on long-term advantageous environmental conditions. Some of these arrangements can also provide for the exchange of turfgrass playing surfaces for those are hard wearing. The details of these arrangements are complemented by case studies. Implementing some of these other arrangements may negate the need to incorporate strict environmental standards in stadia design

Orientador: Domingos Alves Meira / Resumo: O vírus linfotrópico para células T humanas, do tipo I, o primeiro retrovírus humano a ser identificado, está associado com leucemia/linfoma de células T do adulto, mielopatia associada ao HTLV-I/paraparesia espástica tropical. O vírus linfotrópico para células T humana, do tipo II, um vírus com características muito próximas das do HTLV-I, não foi definitivamente associado com nenhuma doença. A infecção pelo HTLV-I tem distribuição mundial, e é endêmica no sudoeste do Japão, Caribe, África, América do Sul e nova Guiné. A transmissão dos vírus se dá através do leite materno, por contato sexual, transfusão de sangue, uso de drogas injetáveis, e percutânea. A soroprevalência em doadores de sangue é melhor conhecida que entre gestantes. Alguns países, como o Brasil, tornaram obrigatória a aplicação de testes em doadores para identificar a infecção pelo HTLV-I/II. Alguns estudos revelam que entre doadores e prostitutas os fatores de risco predominantes são contato sexual e uso de drogas injetáveis. Em gestantes, o fato de serem procedentes de áreas endêmicas tem levado alguns autores a sugerir esta característica como uma das que serviriam para triagem de mulheres a serem testadas quanto à infecção pelo HTLV-I/II. Em países onde a doença é prevalente nos habitantes nativos,estas medidas são insuficientes para garantir a qualidade do sangue transfundido, ou leite materno livre de contaminação pelos vírus... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo). / Abstract: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, type I, the first human retrovirus to be identified, is associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, a myelopathy associated with HTLV-I/spastic tropical paraparesis. Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, type II, a virus with characteristics closely similar to those of HTLV-I, has not been definitely associated with any disease. HTLV-I infection occurs all over the world and is endemic in southeastern Japan, Caribbean, Africa, and South America. The virus is transmitted through mother's milk, through sexual contact, blood transfusion, intravenous drug users, and by the percutaneous route. The seroprevalence among blood donors is better known than among pregnant women. Some countries, Brazil among them, require mandatory testing of donors for the identification of HTLV-I/II infection. Some studies have revealed that the predominant risk factors among prostitutes and blood donors are sexual contact and the use of injectable drugs. Some investigators have suggested that being from na endemic area is a characteristic that could be used to screen women to be tested for HTLV-I/II infection. In countries where these is prevalent among native inhabitants these measures are insufficient to guarantee the quality of transfused blood or of mother's milk free from viral contamination. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of HTLV-I/II among pregnant women seen at Basic Health Units in the municipality of Botucatu and to identify risk factors for acquiring the infection. Seroprevalence was 0.11% (1 in 913) for both HTLV-I and HTLV-II. Among the relatives of these pregnant women, only the husband of the woman infected with HTLV-II also had the virus. When HTLV-I/II-infected women were investigated for skin color, number of partners, drug use... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below). / Doutor

In the last few years, there has been growing attention given to the weakening of the place identity of many contemporary cities that have grown up as a result of rapid development and urban transformation. For this reason, place identity has been identified as one of the subject matters to consider in urban design in order to achieve good quality for future urban environments. In respect to this, over the past four decades, there has been a spate of attempts to reveal a wider understanding of place identity, particularly in relation to humans’ built environment relationships. To date, however, there have been relatively few attempts to integrate the concept of place identity into a more holistic theory of person-place relationship. Notions such as meanings and place attachment are rarely integrated with the physical characteristics in assessing place identity. Consequently, this research focuses on examining the influencing factors that are associated with place identity in the city centre of Misurata in Libya. This will be conducted using the three concepts of place as a multidimensional framework in defining place identity. The primary aim of the research is to examine place identity in light of the distinctive characteristics of place through identifiable place qualities as seen by the residents. Therefore, it is believed that, a qualitative inquiry is the best approach for this study; however, the quantitative methodology was also employed in this research in order to validate findings through triangulating the data. Accordingly, the research for this PhD has adopted a mixed methodological strategy in data collection and analysis. The techniques (methods) utilised for data collocation were survey, face-to-face interviews and mental mappings. The data analysis procedure was a rational-inductive approach based on the grounded theory strategy (data-led analysis). The research concludes that the main factors of person-place relationships (perception, meanings and attachment) significantly contribute to sustaining the place identity. The research demonstrates that there are seven characteristics of urban place that are strongly associated with place identity, as perceived by residents. These are imageability; visual quality; legibility; liveability; diversity; transparency and active frontages and walkability. These qualities were found as essential key performance criteria of urban place, evoking human perceptions and are important conditions for reinforcing place identity. The significance of meanings in fostering place identity was confirmed by seven identifiable factors, namely, place memory; life stage and place meaning; historical knowledge; symbolic meanings; likeable environment; a sense of belonging and pride; perceiving urban change and place meaning. Factors associated with place attachment were the emotional attachment; functional attachment; length of residence; familiarity and level of engagement. The main findings of this study confirm that both physical characteristics of place as an object component together with the meanings and attachment factors as subjective dimensions are important for sustaining place identity and creating a successful place in general. This study adds to the knowledge of the importance of understanding the complex layers of perceptions, meanings and attachment resulting from the person-place relationship in shaping places and sustaining place identity. In this regard, it also seeks to be part of the foundation or criteria to guide and formulate better urban design policy and innovative design for the future of Libyan towns and cities.

In relation to Chinese cities, both thermal comfort and urban air ventilation have been researched extensively in the past decades while the quality of open urban spaces have received increasing attention in developed countries in recent years. However, there has been relatively little research addressing how microclimatic conditions also contribute to the quality of life. This thesis aims to obtain the local outdoor thermal comfort criteria, assess the wind environment around the built tall buildings and suggest an approach for urban design. To achieve that, winter outdoor thermal comfort will be determined through a pedestrian thermal comfort questionnaire survey and monitoring of site climatic conditions help to generate local thermal comfort criteria. Summer comfort conditions were determined from an analysis of the literature. After that, the wind environment will be simulated with wind tunnel tests and computational numerical modelling. This will be assessed to improve outdoor wind comfort in urban areas and to build more comfortable and healthier open spaces for pedestrians. Nevertheless, after the creation of the Lujiazui Financial Centre in the Pudong district of Shanghai, a high-density area, with a huge number of tall buildings and the core of the economic development, further improvement has been planned. According to the questionnaire on thermal comfort and the meteorological data retrieved from the monitoring of the site, the majority of participants were satisfied with the outdoor thermal environment found in Lujiazui during the winter and a series of findings demonstrated that microclimate is a very important parameter for outdoor thermal comfort. For instance, it was observed that: (a) the mean neutral air temperature is 14.7℃ and the accepted temperature range is 7.7℃ to 21.8℃; (b) the neutral global radiation is 856W/m2; (c) the neutral air humidity is 67%; and (d) the neutral wind velocity is 0.55m/s with an accepted wind velocity range of 0-3.2m/s in winter. Furthermore, the application of wind tunnel tests and computational numerical modelling simulations revealed that the microclimate of an environment would be affected every time a new building is erected. This is why, especially in rapidly developing areas characterised by high-density, generating high-speed winds at the pedestrian level in order to increase air circulation and therefore create a healthier environment in terms of air quality is not uncommon, although these man-made air flows may be perceived as distressful or unsafe. In the light of such conditions, when designing a new building its morphology, its influence on the interior environment, and its impact on the outdoor environment should be equally taken into account. Furthermore, some suggestions for optimised urban design methods about building more skyscrapers in the extended area of Lujiazui are provided, which could become a guideline for the government and the urban designers with the aim to create better, more comfortable and healthier urban open spaces in a sustainable city.

Public engagement in museum design has been widely discussed and practiced. Public engagement not only inspires the participants’ interests and creativity, but also significantly increases the communication between the museum and participants. To date, however, most museum engagement projects have only focused on the exhibition design, while very few projects try to discuss public participation in the architecture design of museum. Therefore, this thesis sets out to find the most appropriate way that members of the public can participate in the architecture design of a museum. To answer this question, the thesis firstly reviews the history of museums, which explains that the purposes of museums have been extended from collection and preservation to exhibition, education and communication. What is more important, public participation in museum exhibition has become a new form of communication that remarkably improves the visitors’ experience. However, there is no doubt that the design of the museum building also plays a vital role in communicating with the local residents. The relationship between the museum building and society is intimate. The focus of the thesis then shifts to the theories of participatory architecture design that normally consists of architects, museum staff and members of the public. The professionals and laypeople normally have quite different knowledge and experience of architecture design. Therefore, a typical difficulty in processing the participatory architecture design is judging and structuring the different ideas. More specifically, one of the key issues of this thesis is how to deal with the power dominance and conflicts in participation that exists in this area. Following this issue, the thesis deduces the relationship between control and communication. On the one hand, the participation should minimise the control that exists in order to offer an open atmosphere for communication; on the other hand, communication should take place under a form/type of control that restricts the powerful or talkative participants from dominating any discussion. Furthermore, the conflict-resolving and collaborative consensus-making activities are two further essential aspects in participation. By comparing many different participation methods, Idea Rating Sheets (IRSs) and Consensus Mapping (CM) are considered as the two most appropriate methods in the architecture design of the museum. Idea Rating Sheets (IRSs) were created by Jason Diceman who is an expert on facilitation and public participation. Diceman has been the Senior Public Consultation Coordinator for the City of Toronto since 2010. Consensus Mapping (CM) is created by Stuart L. Hart, professor emeritus in the Johnson School of Management, Cornell University. He is one of the world's top authorities on the implications of environment and poverty for business strategy. Therefore, the main research question of this thesis is; “What is the performance of IRSs (Idea Rating Sheets) and CM (Consensus Mapping) in resolving conflicts and reaching collaborative consensus in the participatory architecture design of the museum?” It is difficult to describe the performance generally, so the thesis divides the main question into eight sub-questions. Regarding the eight sub-questions, a mixed methods research approach has been adopted: questionnaires, interviews and observations. Meanwhile, there are two pilot studies: 1) the testing of IRSs performance in judgment-making; and 2) the testing of questionnaires and interviews. Based on the two pilot studies, the author set up a participation workshop, specifically using the IRSs and CM in the architecture design of Nottingham Natural History Museum, Wollaton Hall. The workshop consists of Phase One (Group A) and Phase Two (Group B). The two phases have slightly different features in order to test the performance of IRSs and CM in different situations. Each group consists of an architect, a member of the museum staff, several local residents, a facilitator and an observer. Although this thesis mainly studies the participatory architecture design, the participants in the workshop actually discussed both architecture and exhibition design. By analysing the large amount of data collected, it can be argued that: 1) IRSs quantitatively and qualitatively support the production of options and judgments; 2) IRSs benefit the equal chance of expression, but the facilitator should also ask the participants individually for their responses; and 3) IRSs encourage the participants to express in-depth ideas and transfer any conflicts that emerge to achieve consensus. In addition to these points, the thesis also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using the workshop and mixed research methods in the participation study. The conclusion of this thesis not only offers practical suggestions for participatory architecture design, but also informs potential future research topics.

In the professionalised context of contemporary architectural practice, precise communications are charged with the task of translating architectural intentions into a prosaic language to guarantee certainty in advance of construction. To do so, regulatory and advisory bodies advise the architectural profession that ‘the objective is certainty.’1 Uncertainty is denied in a context which explicitly defines architectural quality as ‘fitness for purpose.’2 Theoretical critiques of a more architectural nature, meanwhile, employ a notably different language, applauding risk and deviation as central to definitions of architectural quality. Philosophers, sociologists and architectural theorists, critics and practitioners have critiqued the implications of a built environment constructed according to a framework of certainty, risk avoidance, and standardisation, refuting claims that communication is ever free from slippage of meaning, or that it ever it can, or should, be unambiguously precise when attempting to translate the richness of architectural intentions. Through close readings of architectural documentations accompanying six architectural details constructed between 1856 and 2006, this thesis explores the desire for, and consequences of, precision in architectural production. From the author’s experience of a 2004 self-build residence in the Orkney Islands, to architectural critiques of mortar joints at Sigurd Lewerentz’s 1966 Church of St Peter’s, Klippan; from the critical rejection of the 1856 South Kensington Iron Museum, to Caruso St John Architects’ resistance to off-the-peg construction at their 2006 entrance addition to the same relocated structure in Bethnal Green; and from the precise deviation of a pressed steel window frame at Mies van der Rohe’s 1954 Commons Building at IIT, Chicago, to the precise control of a ‘crude’ gypsum board ceiling at OMA’s 2003 adjoining McCormick Tribune Campus Centre, this thesis explores means by which precision in architectural production is historically and critically defined, applied, pursued and challenged in pursuit of the rich ambiguities of architectural quality.

Esta tese teve por objetivo investigar o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta digital que auxilie professores na construção do seu plano de aula. O estudo conta com três capítulos que constituem o arcabouço teórico do problema de pesquisa e proporcionam juntos uma melhor compreensão do fenômeno que está sendo abordado. Os capítulos serão os seguintes: no Capítulo 1 a acessibilidade é apresentada, abordando os processos acessíveis de produtos, arquitetônicos e de comunicação, identificando barreiras existentes até hoje, mesmo com implantação de políticas públicas de apoio a derrubada dessas barreiras. Também são apresentadas comunicações alternativas que auxiliam sujeitos a recuperar a interação entre pares. Por último são mostrados software disponíveis e que dão suporte a familiares e professores que funcionam como um integrador dessas barreiras enfrentadas. No Capítulo 2 são apresentadas e discutidas práticas docentes na construção de planos de aula e materiais didáticos. A proposta desse capítulo é explicar o que são planos de aula, a partir das referências em autores como se elabora planos de aula e quais os recursos que podem ser utilizados. E por fim, o Capítulo 3 mostra um breve apanhado sobre Sistemas de Recomendação, um tipo de tecnologia capaz de recuperar e sugerir itens de interesse do usuário. No Capítulo 4, apresenta-se a proposta de desenvolvimento da ferramenta para auxílio a professores e as propostas metodológicas de desenvolvimento, de coleta e análise de dados para a presente tese. No Capitulo 5 são feitas as considerações finais da pesquisa além de estudos futuros. Trabalhar e compartilhar em sala de aula as diferenças, necessidades dos alunos e dos professores que por vezes mostram-se por desafios enfrentados no dia a dia. Alguns desses desafios enfrentados pelo professor, podem ser observados no momento da preparação da aula. Afim de otimizar o processo de construção de um plano de aula, esse trabalho tem a intenção de descrever o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta para auxiliar o professor na criação de planos de aula, no qual, envolveu o acoplamento desta a um sistema de recomendação para sugerir links, textos, vídeos e imagens disponíveis na Web. O referido sistema de recomendação teve a ele integrado um verificador de acessibilidade para que os materiais produzidos pudessem contemplar critérios de acessibilidade de acordo com recomendações da W3C. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida com 20 professores de diversas áreas que validaram a ferramenta a partir de questionário, utilização da ferramenta e produção de plano de aula. A partir da análise dos dados, observou-se que os professores que não conheciam acessibilidade mudaram seus conceitos e reformularam seus planos de aula para que fossem avaliados positivamente com relação a acessibilidade de conteúdo. Esses professores também certificaram a importância da recomendação de conteúdo para complementar e aumentar o conteúdo do seu plano de aula. / This doctoral thesis aims at investigating how digital tools can help teachers build lesson plans. The thesis is composed of three chapters that make up the theoretical framework of the research problem, and provide a better understanding of the phenomenon approached here. Chapter 1 presents the question of accessibility, addressing the accessible processes of products, architecture and communication, identifying obstacles up to the present, even with the implementation of public policies to support the removal of these obstacles. We also present alternative communications that help individuals to regain peer interaction. Chapter 2 presents teaching practices in developing lesson plans and teaching materials. The purpose of this chapter is to explain what lesson plans are, how they are developed and which resources could be used. Working and sharing the differences in class are challenges faced in everyday life, and some of these challenges, faced by the teachers, can be observed when preparing the class. In order to optimize the process of creating a lesson plan, this study describes the development of a tool to assist teachers in the task, which involved coupling a recommendation system to suggest links, texts, videos and images available on the web, topic addressed in chapter 3. The recommendation system has an embedded accessibility checker so that the materials produced could address accessibility criteria according to the W3C recommendations. In Chapter 4, we present the work connected to the development tool to help teachers and the methodological proposals for development, data collection and analysis of data for the present thesis. The survey was conducted with a sample of 20 teachers from several fields who validated the tool through a questionnaire, as well as the use of the tool and the development of lesson plans. From the data analysis, we could observe that teachers who were not acquainted with the accessibility issue have changed their concepts and reformulated their lesson plans in order to get a positive evaluation regarding content accessibility. Those teachers also certified the importance of content recommendation to complement and enhance the content of their lesson plans. In Chapter 5, the closing remarks of the research are presented and ideas for future studies are suggested.